


A Friend's Good Intentions

by LunaRavenclaw9



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fashion Designer Pansy, Hidden Feelings, Modeling, NOT the jungle, Post-War, Rainforest, There is a Difference, ask an aussie and they will tell you, back up models, friends good intentions, trickery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:20:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26162530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaRavenclaw9/pseuds/LunaRavenclaw9
Summary: Hermione never imagined that her dreams of visiting the Australian rainforest would come true in this fashion. But when Pansy comes to her with a crisis and begs her to help, it’s hard to continue to say no to a friend. If only she’d known this was a setup, then again, maybe she shouldn’t be so upset after all.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Charlie Weasley
Comments: 12
Kudos: 59
Collections: Magical Vacation Manip/Writing Fest





	A Friend's Good Intentions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Talonwillow (TalonWillow)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalonWillow/gifts).



> This was written for Hermione's Nook Magical Vacation Fest.
> 
> This fest was for artists to create an image and then writers to bring a story to life based on that image. Thank you to Talon Willow for creating the image below that made this story come to life! I hope you enjoy it even if it may not be exactly what you were imagining when you were making it!!
> 
> Also a big thank you to my alphas and beta. I really don't know where I would be in my writing without you all, noxsoulmate, ArielSakura, and FaeOrabel!!!!! Any and all remaining mistakes are my own!

Pansy swooped into Hermione’s flat in a near panic. She made a beeline for Hermione’s liquor cabinet, pulling out her strongest bottle of Muggle whiskey and wasted no time in pouring herself two fingers. With a salute, she quickly downed the entire contents before she refilled the tumbler and turned towards Hermione.

“Min, I can’t believe this. I have no models. They all cancelled last minute, now I have no one to wear my brand new line for the photoshoot.”

Pansy looked at the tumbler in her hand, and Hermione knew she wanted to drink it as fast as she had the first. Instead, her friend made her way over to the couch as Hermione sat up and pulled her feet underneath her.

“It is a crime to drink so quickly, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to sit here and get uproariously drunk for the night as I drown my sorrows in your good alcohol.”

“Isn’t there someone else you can use?” Hermione asked as she closed the book she was reading when Pansy came through her floo and set it on the coffee table nearby, she knew how much launching this new clothing line meant to Pansy. Another thought suddenly hit Hermione as she exclaimed, “Oh, this isn’t going to cancel your whole trip, is it? I was really looking forward to showing you around the town where my parents have permanently relocated.”

Pansy let herself collapse back into the fluffy cushions of Hermione’s couch as she covered her face with her hands. Hermione could just make out the mumbled, ‘I don’t know,’ as the other girl groaned in what sounded like equal parts frustration and disappointment.

Almost as quickly as she’d crumpled to the couch, she was back up on her feet, hands held out towards Hermione and a look of awe on her newly revealed face.

Before Hermione could get a word out to question the—even weirder than usual—weird reaction, Pansy whispered, “you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You could model for me.”

Before the sentence was even fully out of Pansy’s mouth, Hermione vehemently started shaking her head with such force her curls bounced every which way.

“Oh no, you’re not getting me behind a camera again!”

“Please, Min! You have the perfect figure for the outfits I will be showcasing from the collection. I know you can follow directions well on a photoshoot since you handled Draco and Harry’s wedding pictures beautifully.”

As if Hermione needed reminding of the nightmare that was her best friend’s post-wedding photoshoot that Pansy had set up as a gift to the grooms. Hermione still had no idea how the witch managed to get such great pictures of her when all she could remember was feeling awkward and hearing orders yelled at her the entire time.

“Pansy, no. I told you after that, and I am telling you again, you will not get me back behind your camera!”

“But this will be completely different. This is a professional shoot. It won’t run the same as that did at all.”

“Exactly, this will be even more insane than that fiasco.”

For a moment, Pansy looked hurt, but then Hermione saw her lips twitch into a smile and knew the other girl was picturing all the things that had gone wrong during the pictures. Draco almost falling into the pond  _ was _ one of Hermione’s favorite memories from that day. Both girls fell into bouts of laughter.

Dabbing at the corner of her eyes, Pansy concedes, “ok, yes, that was a bit of a...shall we say...miscalculation of the many clashing personalities that were in very close quarters that day. You’d think that a group of adults would behave better than that for just a few hours.”

“The look on Lucius’ face when Luna told him he’d better get rid of the blibbering humdinger on his shoulder before stepping back into frame.”

Both of them started giggling uncontrollably again. After a few moments to calm down, Pansy gave a very unlady-like snort and added, “George daring Charlie to strip off his top and strut down the aisle singing ‘I’m too sexy for my shirt’ and Charlie actually doing it! Thank the gods they waited until after the other guests were already in the reception hall or else I think Narcissa might have actually fainted.”

The conversation quickly turned to Hermione’s work projects and the two spent the rest of the night drinking whiskey and continued to reminisce about some of their sillier moments throughout life.

***

Hermione thought the conversation was done and buried, but two days later, Pansy segued right into it smoothly during their lunch date. 

“So, I’ve managed to sign on a very good looking male model, but I’m still struggling to find a female who is free on that date.”

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione responded before the question could even be asked, “no, no, no. I already told you, no!”

Pansy put on her best pout, the one that usually got her anything she wanted as she replied, “Look, I know this isn’t something you ever dreamed of doing but it would mean a lot to me. This is one of my biggest dreams come true, and I would love to be able to use the fit body you insist on hiding under your frumpy jumpers to help showcase how bloody amazing of a designer I am!”

“Pansy, I have been in enough newspapers and magazines to last multiple lifetimes,” Hermione replied, giving the other girl a deadpan stare. “I don’t need to be, you know, out there any more than I already am,” she finished somewhat lamely.

Hermione usually didn’t like the results of that pensive face that Pansy was giving her. It was the same face she gave when she convinced Hermione that a double date with twin wizards would be an interesting experience. Although Hermione did have to give her that one, the night had been one of Hermione’s most interesting experiences to date.

“I could glamour your features enough that you wouldn’t be recognisable.”

“Then what is the point of not finding someone else for it?” 

“Because, Hermione, my dear friend, I have 5 days to find someone who isn’t already booked for that day and is able to not only arrive in Australia on time, but also spend at least half the day there.” Pansy speared her with a piercing glare as she continued, “Since you will already be there, we’ve got both those possible problems under control. If you don’t want your face in magazines that‘s fine! We can use a pseudonym for you along with the glamours.”

A few heartbeats passed as Hermione thought of Pansy’s offer. The dejected look her friend’s face fell into as she quietly pleaded once more was what sealed Hermione’s fate. 

“Fine!” she stated a bit louder than intended as she threw her hands into the air. Consciously quieting her voice as the occupants of the nearby tables turned curiously towards her outburst for a moment before going back to their own lunch, Hermione replied, “I will help you, but you’re going to owe me big time for this!”

Her friend’s face morphed into an exquisite smile as she let out a squeal louder than Hermione’s own surge of emotion moments before. 

“Oh, Hermione, I promise I will make this as easy on you as I possibly can!”

She quickly launched into plans for the outfits and makeup as she passed a card to Hermione with the location of the photoshoot and the time she should arrive on set. Balking at the early morning hour on what was supposed to be her vacation, Hermione glanced back up at her friend with wide eyes.

“And don’t worry, I will make sure to book us a wonderful day of pampering for the next day at a nearby spa mum is always raving about.”

***

Packed and ready to leave for Australia, Hermione lifted the card Pansy had given her, finally giving the actual location of the photoshoot more attention than just a cursory glance. She rolled her eyes as she read ‘in the heart of Australian jungles, meet us in Daintree Rainforest, Queensland, Australia.’ 

_ Seriously, Pansy, _ Hermione thought, _ Australia did not have jungles. It even said Rainforest right in the name! _

With a roll of her eyes, she shrunk her trunk and slipped it into her bag before finally apparating to the Ministry to pick up her portkey. She would have two days to spend with her parents before meeting Pansy for the photoshoot, and Hermione was resolved not to think about it anymore until the actual day came.

***

Turning this way and that way in the mirror to check the fit, Hermione admitted that the leopard print dress Pansy left in her dressing room fit her body amazingly well. The waist cinched in at the perfect spot to showcase her curves. The thin, black, faux dragonhide belt paired with it added a dimension Hermione never would have considered as it wrapped around her waist twice. Even if this collection was about the furthest you could get from Hermione’s own personal style, there was no denying the fact that Pansy knew what she was doing when it came to designing clothes. The deep sweetheart neckline and thin straps gave Hermione more cleavage than she was used to. And while the skirt came up higher on her thighs than even her shortest shorts, she couldn’t deny the contrast of her pale skin against the print was beautiful. With a deep breath, she steadied herself on the black—also faux—dragonhide stilettos that completed the outfit and walked out of her dressing room to find Pansy. 

The nervous little blonde, that Hermione had been introduced to earlier, popped up right next to Hermione as if she’d just materialised. Hermione ignored the girl for the most part—Nadine, that was her name—as she chittered away about the creatures that were scurrying around the edges of the glade they were shooting in for the day.

“I can’t believe they let us this deep in here just for a photoshoot. Don’t they know there are things that can eat you in the jungle?”

“Rainforest,” Hermione corrected, this was the fifth time she had referred to it as a jungle, and Hermione couldn’t take it anymore.

“S’cuse me, what?” Nadine questioned.

“Well, you see, the word rainforest actually refers to a specific type of ecosystem that is characterized by high and continuous rainfall,” Hermione stated briskly, easily falling into lecture mode. “This particular rainforest is actually estimated to be 180 million years old. And jungle, somehow, became synonymous with rainforest but is completely inaccurate. The ground of a jungle is basically impassable due to the amount of vegetation growing, and as I’m sure you have noticed, we are walking quite easily through this  _ rainforest _ .”

Hermione had barely finished her explanation before a shiver ran up her spine as the sound of a familiar chuckle registered to her left. Spinning quickly towards the noise, she stumbled and barely kept herself from falling thanks to the death traps she forgot were attached to her feet. 

A pair of strong arms reached out and caught her hand, helping catch her balance before she landed flat on her arse. Her gaze traveled up the attached forearm, cheeks heating as her eyes wandered over bulging biceps, skimmed ripped pecs, and a few new tattoos marking the perfect form before being drawn in by a pair of unforgettable, faded blue eyes.

“Woah there, Hermione. No need to fall head over heels for me, even if I am the first person unintimidated by your professor's tone.” 

Charlie Weasley had the audacity to wink at Hermione while he held her a little closer than necessary as he helped get her feet back underneath her. He reluctantly let go of her hand as he stepped back just a tiny bit, but not enough to prevent Hermione from needing to crane her neck back to continue looking him in the eye. 

“And what exactly do you mean by that?” Hermione asked, hands on her hips, trying to convince herself he was no different from Harry or Ron. Her traitorous heart started beating into overdrive as Charlie continued to stare her down with a faint smile on his face. She couldn’t let herself believe his saucy winks and flirtatious comments were any different from the Twins trying to get under her skin during family dinners. 

“You know what I’m talking about.” Charlie answered with another wink, “That sexy tone you get as you go into lecture mode, sounding like you’ve swallowed a textbook, spitting out definitions almost verbatim. I love when a girl can talk circles around me.”

He continued to stare for a few more tension filled moments until the sound of someone calling his name broke the spell. He let his eyes rake over Hermione’s figure once more before he walked away, taking his tight trousers and bare-chested temptation with him. Even with Hermione’s minimal knowledge, it seemed like they were about ready to start shooting.

Nadine seemed about ready to swoon from the brief moment she’d had Charlie’s attention. Hermione couldn’t blame the young girl, she’d been harbouring a crush on Charlie for years. But there was no way she was going to let him, or anyone else in his family, know about that. It was bad enough Pansy had weaseled the truth out of her one drunken night. 

With renewed vigour, Hermione looked around the camp searching for her obviously meddling ‘friend.’ Eyes narrowing when Pansy finally came into sight, she made her way over to give the girl a piece of her mind.

“Charlie Weasley, Pansy? Really?” Hermione hissed incredulously as soon as she got within earshot. Lowering her voice even further before continuing without waiting for her friend to reply, “did you even have any models cancel on you?”

Hermione raised an eyebrow as the other girl opened and closed her mouth a few times, lifting her hands in the air, palms raised, before she replied. 

“You’ve got me. As soon as Charlie strolled into my office because he had a wild hair up his arse to model, I knew I needed to get you in on the photoshoot. Not just because I’ve been trying to convince you to go for it with him either. Hermione, this is one of the biggest shoots of my career and you both have such magnetism that I know is going to explode on camera. It is going to showcase my clothes amazingly!”

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Why make up some sob story about your models cancelling then?”

“You never would have agreed had I not tugged on your ‘must save my friends’ complex.”

“My what?” Hermione sputtered to refute Pansy’s claim.

With the audacity to chuckle first, Pansy replied, “don’t bother denying it, you and I both know I’m right.”

Hermione bit back a growl of frustration, “wait, was this  _ whole thing _ just a setup? Is this all just to try and get Charlie and I close to each other?”

“Oh gods, no.” Pansy raised her hand to her neck as if to clutch her pearls—if she would ever wear something so old fashioned. “This has always been to launch my new fashion line, but when Charlie waltzed into my office like Tarzan personified, I couldn’t resist when I knew I had the perfect Jane for him.”

With a frustrated growl, Hermione shot back, “But why would Charlie come and model for you? He is still a dragon tamer for gods’ sake.”

“You will have to ask him that yourself, Min.” 

Pansy shot Hermione an indecipherable glance before she walked away, already yelling at someone across the glade from where they were standing near the refreshment tent.

Nadine strode quickly up to Hermione muttering about last minute details and shooing her towards the camera crew.

***

Hermione had no idea how she made it through each outfit change Pansy had insisted on, but after what felt like millions, Hermione was back in the leopard print dress she started the day in—sans stilettos this time, thank goodness. The last picture had finally been taken, and Hermione could feel her heart race as she looked at the ground that seemed so far away. 

The low hanging branch Pansy had wanted them to climb on hadn’t seemed very high from the ground, but now that she was trying to get back to the ground it seemed to be the farthest drop ever. Finally, tired of Hermione stalling it seemed, Charlie scooped Hermione up bridal style and dropped to the ground, landing gracefully as if he were part cat. His chest rumbled with laughter as Hermione loosened her grip from where she’d plastered herself to his neck.

Her legs wobbled after he finally lowered her to her own two feet, and she sheepishly glanced up from beneath her lashes, “erm, thank you. Heights never really were my thing—part of the reason I hate flying so much.”

“It’s never a burden to hold a beautiful girl close.”

About to roll her eyes at the obvious line, she noticed Charlie’s cheeks pinken slightly as he continued quietly, as if a bit unsure, “besides, it’s sort of nice to know that the completely invincible Hermione Granger has a few chinks in her armour. Reminds us all that you’re not just some ethereal guardian angel, but human and...reachable.”

He reached out but stopped short of touching her cheek. Hermione wasn’t even sure exactly what he meant, but when his arm dropped back to his side, she couldn’t suppress the sudden disappointment that flooded through her. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers before his one-hundred-watt-smile dialed back up, and he rubbed the back of his neck, a tell of some sort, Hermione was sure, but what, she didn’t know.

“Oh, these are perfect!” Pansy squealed in excitement to their left. Hermione turned just as the other girl rushed into her arms to give her a quick hug before pulling back and breaking into a small happy dance. “Thank you both so much for your hard work.”

Stopping her dance long enough to pierce Hermione with a pleading glance, she asked, “would you mind if I went ahead and popped into the city so I can start working on these prints? I really don’t want you to feel rushed to get changed, and I know you’ve already done me a huge favour. But I really want to have these ready to show you tomorrow before our spa date!”

Hermione already started shooing her friend before she even stopped talking. “Go, just go. I know how you get when your inspiration hits, and you will drive me up a… tree with your energy. I’ll be fine, I’m sure. I’ve already survived the beginning of the day.”

“Oh, thank you, Min,” Pansy said, rushing in to squeeze Hermione again before she moved back towards the photographer and called over her shoulder, “I’m sure Charlie wouldn’t mind making sure you made it back to town safely.”

***

Hermione tried to get Charlie to take the hint that she didn’t need him to stay. She could make her way to the apparition point on her own, considering she’d made it to the glade just fine by herself. 

Even though they were fairly deep in the Daintree Rainforest and no muggles  _ should _ be around, this was still a fairly frequented plot of land, and they couldn’t just apparate in and out willy nilly. Even if Hermione understood, she really wished she could just hold out her wand arm and twist her way back home. Maybe with some distance she could get the feeling of Charlie’s fit body pressed up against her—or the way he effortlessly scooped her up—out of her head.

Giving a quick shake, as if that could physically toss those memories out, she slipped back into khaki shorts and scrutinized her outfit now that she was back in her regular clothes after spending an entire day dolled up.

Her makeup was still heavier than she ever did herself, but that didn’t stop her from admiring the way her eyes were accentuated by the dark liner or how the red lippy made her lips look even plumper than usual.

She had to admit, even in her basic shorts, blue short-sleeved button up, and cream tank top, the makeup didn’t look overdone. Keeping it on instead of wiping it off like she initially planned, Hermione figured there was no harm in letting herself enjoy it for a little while longer—and no, this had nothing to do with the fact that Charlie was waiting outside her tent.

She yanked her wavy tresses into a messy top-knot and gave her reflection a nod of approval before going to find Charlie. She stopped short as she walked outside and realised the entire glade was empty except for her tent and Charlie. Everyone else seemed to have already packed up and were gone. Turning back to try and suss out what she was supposed to do with her tent, she watched as it folded up before her eyes and popped out of existence once the size of a small suitcase. Hermione would never cease to be amazed by the Wizarding World, no matter how long she was part of it.

“Good thing I insisted on waiting, don’t you think?” Charlie had somehow made his way quietly from the other side of the glade while she’d been distracted by the tent to stand right behind her.

Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying and failing to suppress the shiver his smoky voice sent down her spine as he leaned in closer and continued, “seems like we are all alone aside from nature, Miss Granger.”

Proud when her voice didn’t waver, Hermione still wished it wasn’t so husky when she replied, “well, shall we head to the apparition point then?”

Charlie stepped up to stand next to her and offered his arm, the move would have been gentlemanly had he not been waggling his eyebrows in a very Fred-like move. Hermione realised exactly where the twins had more than likely learned most of their teasing ways and shook her head in exasperation. After just a moment’s hesitation, Hermione gave in and took the proffered arm.

Charlie marched them off in a completely different direction than Hermione expected, but since he was the one who watched everyone make their way out, she kept her mouth shut and figured Charlie knew what he was doing. 

About forty-five minutes into their trek, she had lost all hope that Charlie knew where they were. Especially since he’d recently started murmuring ‘it’s supposed to be right about here.’

“What do you mean, ‘supposed to be here’? This doesn’t look anything like where the apparition point was when I came in this morning.” Hermione pulled her arm free from where it was still loosely looped through his as she stopped and leveled a glare up at him.

He may be the shortest Weasley aside from Ginny, but he still had quite a few inches on her. Watching as his freckles seemed to darken along with the blush that started to tinge his cheeks, she raised her eyebrows to silently demand an explanation out of him.

“No, you’re right about that. The apparition point is the other way.” He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully and hurried to reply before Hermione’s indignant shriek could become anything more. “See, one of my mates is from around here and he said that not far from where our shoot took place, there should be a Cassowary habitat just a little off the beaten path. And, well... I thought you might be interested in taking a look with me. I just seem…”

Charlie trailed off and looked around them, scrutinising their surroundings before he turned back and refused to look into Hermione’s eyes as he finished, “I seem to have gotten us turned around somehow.”

“What do you mean ‘turned around’? You intentionally got us turned around as soon as we left the glade from the sounds of it.” With a sound of exasperation, she cut herself off and stormed a few steps away before she whipped back around to point an accusing finger at him, “You were supposed to be taking us to the apparition point. Not on some adventure without even asking me first!”

“I know,” Charlie said, staring blankly past Hermione’s shoulder. He swept his sad gaze across her face and added in a dejected tone, “I just wanted to surprise you with something interesting.”

Hermione tried to reign in her frustration, she knew Charlie hadn’t meant to get them lost. “Ok, let’s just head back where we started.”

His blush darkened as his eyes flitted away from Hermione’s and back again, “see, that’s part of the problem. I’m not quite sure which way that is either.”

Hermione stared, slack-jawed, as she watched Charlie nibble on his bottom lip and glance around them, once again mumbling to himself about bungled directions. 

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and willed herself to relax. As soon as they hit civilization, Hermione could spend the energy to be mad at Charlie, but right now they needed to stay calm and find their way back. It was around noon, for the first time that day Hermione was thankful for their early morning photoshoot, but if they didn’t find their way quickly they could easily find themselves lost in the dark. Hermione had been camping enough with her parents growing up to know that, even as a witch, you didn’t want to be caught after dark in an unknown wilderness without any supplies.

As she remembered a few bits of advice her father drilled into her during their camping excursions, a tentative plan formed, and Hermione opened her eyes to explain it to Charlie. Brows furrowing when he wasn’t in front of her anymore, she quickly looked around until she finally caught sight of him a few steps behind her. A slow smile spread across her face as she took a moment to appreciate the way his trousers pulled tight across his arse before she said anything, no one was around to notice anyway.

“Ok, Charlie,” she stated as she moved in his direction, “I think we should-”

A rushed exclamation of, “No, no, don’t you worry your pretty little head about getting back,” cut her off before she could finish her sentence, “I’ve got this figured out. I found our old trail now all we need to do is follow it back to where we took the pictures and then off we pop to the apparition point.”

She couldn’t quite make out the trail he seemed sure to have found, but since Hermione knew he was good at tracking dragons when they escaped from the reserve or needed rescuing, she wasn’t going to question him just yet. But she would definitely pay more attention to their surroundings.

***

An hour later, they were no closer to anything that looked remotely familiar and they’d seen neither hide nor hair of anyone, Muggle or magical alike. The sound of a waterfall stopped Hermione short. It was hot, her feet ached, and even though she knew they should continue trying to find their way out soon, she really wanted to take a break from trekking all over hell and back in this godsforsaken place.

Charlie seemed to notice her footfalls cease, and he turned to close the short lead he had.

“That sounds pretty close, and very refreshing.”

Hermione nodded her agreement and moved towards the sound as if on autopilot. She had a feeling Charlie had lost their trail a little ways back and just didn't want to admit to being lost again. After a moment to relax and cool down, she would take over to try and find their way out.

It only took a few minutes, the sound of rushing water and a cool breeze growing stronger with each step, until the two pushed through a small thicket of plants and found themselves on the edge of what looked like a waterfall-fed swimming hole. They looked around hopefully for signs of any other people, disappointed when it looked like the area hadn't seen anyone but the local wildlife in a long time. 

“May as well take advantage of the water,” Charlie said as he pulled his shirt over his head. Hermione’s eyes glued to watching his back muscles flex; the dragon tattoo that took most of the space seemed to come to life for a few moments.

As he unashamedly dropped his trousers, Hermione managed to avert her eyes, instead choosing to intensely scrutinise the bright blue butterflies that surrounded the few flowering bushes that lined the pool of water. Idly, she wondered if they were magical, it seemed unlikely that Muggle butterflies could grow so large and be so vibrant. She heard the telltale splash of Charlie entering the water and rushed to the edge of the pool waiting for him to resurface.

As he broke the surface and stood back up, Hermione’s brain short circuited as she watched the way the water ran down his well-defined chest. Her eyes followed the paths, watching them dribble towards the waistband of his pants. Before she could be tempted to let her gaze continue its downward trek, she looked back up, watching his eyes crinkle and lips lift into a knowing smirk. 

“See something you like?” He questioned before stepping backwards, deeper into the pool of water.

Hermione’s mouth went dry as memories of the way he felt pressed up against her earlier that day assaulted her at his question.

Hoping he was too far away to hear the small moan that she couldn’t suppress, she tried to summon an irritated glare before her memory caught back up with her. “Wait, you should get out of the water!” She cried as her gaze raked across the water’s surface. “There could be crocodiles in there.”

“Oh, gods, Hermione, you’re right. I can’t believe I didn’t think about that!”

“What should we do?” Her voice, small and unsure as she asked.

“I’m going to very carefully come out of the water and try to disturb it as little as possible. You just stay where you are and maybe grab my clothes in case we have to make a run for it.” 

“Ok, just… please be careful.”

Hermione gathered up his discarded shirt and trousers and watched as he slowly inched his way back towards land.

“Aaargh. RUN.” Charlie hollered and started splashing his way towards shore.

Hermione let out a squeal she would later deny and started running. She’d barely taken a few steps before she realised the splashing had stopped, only to be replaced by a roar of laughter.

“Oh, bloody hell, I needed that laugh.”

Hermione turned around and barely refrained from stomping her foot. “What in the gods name was that?”

His piercing blue eyes were crinkled at the corners with laughter still, his face devoid of the frustrations of the day.

“The only crocodiles we’ll find here are the freshwater sort—they eat fish and crabs and such. The man-eaters are the saltwater kind, they’re a lot closer to the coast,” Charlie explained as he made his way out of the pool and toward her. Little rivulets of water catching her gaze as they ran down his chest. “Besides, this water is small enough that even  _ if _ we were lucky enough to find a crocodile in here, it wouldn’t be very big and it would be a lot more afraid of us.”

He was close enough now to touch her, and his arms came around her waist as he dipped his head closer. “Alright?”

Her hands came up between them, she was so unsure what to do with them, especially as she still held his clothes, but she nodded.

And like that, he grinned and she had only a seconds worth of foreboding before he picked her up and took several large steps back toward the water.

“Charlie Septimus Weasley! Don’t you  _ daaaaaaaaaare! _ ”

Hermione’s warning went unheeded, and she shrieked as they fell into the water. 

The water was cold—chillingly so. She shoved at Charlie’s chest and pushed herself away from him beneath the water. Gasping as she came up for air. She pushed her hair from her eyes and turned once more at the sound of laughter, fairly certain that Charlie was incredibly lucky looks couldn’t kill. 

Hermoine tossed his clothes at his head, somewhat satisfied when he was unable to dodge out the way. “Why do you have to be so infuriating?!”

“Part of being a Weasley, I guess,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye.

Hermione watched as he laid on his back and started to float, lazily kicking his feet around to propel him towards the small waterfall. Carefully taking her boots and socks off, she swam to the edge of the pool and placed them on the shoreline. Hopefully a drying charm wouldn’t ruin them. Finding a well placed rock, she lay back against the edge of the water. She was already wet after all, might as well enjoy it now. A soft sigh of pleasure slipped out as she got comfortable, her tired calves and feet feeling better already for the refreshing dip.

Her barely-dawn alarm clock mixed with the hike they had taken so far today all caught up with Hermione as she finally started to relax. Laying back, she let the sounds of the rainforest lull her until she wasn’t quite asleep, but just on the edges of dreamland. 

***

“Come on, sleepy head. It’s time to wake up,” A familiar voice said from far away. 

Hermione grumbled as the dregs of sleep started to drag her back down. Soon the voice was back, more insistent this time and somehow shaking her shoulder. 

“Hermione, we still need to find the apparition point. Come on, I know today has been mostly a disaster, but please wake up so we can try to get out of here before it gets dark.”

Opening her eyes, her cinnamon brown locked onto a concerned, faded blue. Her gaze roamed over his face and she realised he had either gotten out of the water not long after she fell asleep or he’d left her to rest for longer than he probably should have. A quick glance at her watch as she sat up told her it was probably a little of both, seeing as it was around three thirty. 

“Are you finally admitting that we’re lost and not quite sure how to find our way out?” Hermione asked through a yawn.

Charlie blew out a breath, his hand reaching up to scrub through his hair as if to gather his thoughts, “yes. I concede. I’m lost in the wilderness and struggling to find my way out. This is nothing like the forests in Romania.”

“Well, of course not, Charlie. This rainforest is one of the oldest living ecosystems on this planet. Possibly the oldest. Can you imagine all the history that this place has taken part of? The creatures that no longer walk this earth but once walked upon this very land?”

Hermione took a deep breath and let her head fall back. “Can’t you just feel the ancient magic that thrums through the trees?”

As Charlie stayed silent, Hermione popped her head back up to see him staring at her in wonder. Had she said something weird? Well, weirder than usual, at least?

Before her mind ran away with possibilities, Charlie finally seemed to find his voice, “what do you mean you feel the magic?”

“It’s like this tangible thing that weaves through the trees, flowing with the wind. It’s everywhere I’ve been throughout the world but I’ve never felt magic so steeped in history until now.”

“Wow, Hermione, that’s amazing. Very few witches or wizards have the power to feel the magic of the surrounding area.” 

Hermione felt her whole body flush at Charlie’s praise. She wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she had spent basically the entire day in close quarters with him or the sexy dream she slightly remembered from her impromptu nap, but it felt like the pull of attraction she had for the Weasley brother was stronger than usual. 

“How about you wait to dish out praise until I do something actually worthwhile in the predicament we are in right now.” Hermione snapped, harsher than she meant but the strain of ignoring the pull was more than she could handle right now. “As much as I love nature, I am not prepared to spend the night in it. I would much prefer a warm, comfortable bed.”

Hermione raised an eyebrow to the red-head and nodded when he said nothing. She took her time putting her socks and boots back on, making sure her feet were dry first. She started walking back the way they’d come to get to this little oasis, before she turned to face Charlie again as a smirk settled across her face. “Ready to let me get us out of here?”

Charlie followed behind her a bit begrudgingly at first. It seemed as if his ego was still a bit bruised from getting them lost twice. As she moved confidently around the foliage, identifying some plants and finding the clues she was looking for to help them find their way back, Hermione noticed his appreciative gaze on her more often than not. 

“You were right, we aren’t near it by any means, but we’ve moved too far towards the coast. I can sense it through my magic. Each environment has this distinct feeling, tells you something different about the world. Based on what I can tell, the coast should be that way,” she said while pointing past Charlie’s left shoulder. And she then turned completely around and pointed in the opposite direction, “so we need to move this way.”

Hermione started marching off in the direction she was pointing but didn’t miss Charlie’s muttered, “fuck, that was hot,” before he started to follow after her. She had to school the blush that threatened to rise on her cheeks. 

After catching up to her, he couldn’t stop his curiosity, “so, how do you know all that stuff about rainforests? You seemed quite knowledgeable when you were talking to that Nadine girl.” 

Smiling at the memories his question dredged up, Hermione answered honestly, “my dad used to take me camping during the summers and taught me a bunch of it. The Muggle side of it all, at least. When I found a way to get their memories back, and knew I would be visiting here more often, I took to researching interesting things to do while visiting Australia, and of course the oldest rainforest in the world would pique my interest. I just hadn’t gotten around to visiting until Pansy asked me to help with her photoshoot.”

“Wait, you don’t regularly model for Pansy?” Charlie asked as if he were completely surprised.

Hermione stopped walking and turned to stare at him, confusion evident in the drawn out, “umm, no.”

“But, Ginny told me that your usual partner cancelled last minute on you and Pansy. Said you needed someone to step in and had asked for me since I looked close enough to him aside from the hair color.”

“Ginny told you what?” Hermione huffed, without even giving him a chance to repeat himself she continued, “This was my first time ever modeling for Pansy. She told me her models cancelled last minute, she couldn’t get anyone here in time because everyone else was booked already.”

Her eyes narrowed as she finally pieced together her friends’ plot.

“Those sneaky witches.” She exclaimed. “Those meddling, two timing, conniving, little  _ witches _ .”

Hermione was working herself into a state when she heard a pleased hum come from Charlie. She glanced over and saw his eyes lit with an amused fire. 

“While I am enjoying your little display of hostility over there, would you mind letting me in on what’s got you so hot under the collar?”

“Don’t you see, Charlie? They set us up. This whole thing was a ploy to get us alone together.”

Hermione realised her mistake a moment too late. Her eyes grew wide and her cheeks heated. There should be no reason for her friends, one of which was also  _ his _ sister, to plot about getting them alone. No reason that Charlie should be aware of at least, no reason that anyone but Pansy should know about. Hermione knew the moment he put the clues together. The fire in his eyes darkened and his breath quickened as he took the two steps closer before he abruptly halted.

“Wait, are you saying… But why would they think—” Charlie cut himself off as his gaze roamed over her body before his burning orbs locked onto hers. “Hermione, why would they think we needed to be alone together?”

Her gaze dropped to his lips as she ran her tongue across her own, trying to wet her suddenly dry mouth and croaked, “Charlie, I don’t know what you want from me.”

She stood her ground as he stalked forward, not stopping until he invaded her personal bubble, tension sizzling between them.

“I want you,” he said slowly, enunciating every word; mesmerised by each seductive movement of his lips, Hermione almost missed the end of his sentence, “to answer my question.”

Making a swift decision, Hermione murmured, “oh, bugger it all,” and surged forward, capturing Charlie’s lips in a searing kiss.

He wasted no time pulling her flush against him and sinking one hand into the mess of curls barely contained on top of her head. Hermione broke the kiss on a moan as he slid his thigh between her legs. Her head fell back with a whine as Charlie found the sensitive spot behind her earlobe and started to nibble. He quickly took advantage of her exposed neck, licking and kissing his way down to her collarbone before sucking a mark right above where her shirt collar sat.

She tugged on his hair so she could bring his head back up to her lips, planting another kiss on his perfectly pouty lips before stepping back and holding him at arm's length when he tried to step back into her space.

A look of crushed confusion crossed his face until Hermione reached up and cupped his cheek, “if we continue like this I’m going to let you fuck me up against one of these trees,” she moved her hand away from his cheek to place it over his mouth before he could say anything to that, “and we would more than likely end up lost all night. I would rather get out of here and let you fuck me on every available surface of my hotel room.”

She slowly removed her hand from over his mouth as a growl rumbled from his chest, “oh the things I will do to you when we get back.” 

Letting her free hand trail down his abdomen to tease at the waistband of his trousers, she leaned in to lay a small peck on his lips before pulling back just enough to whisper, “let’s get a move on then, shall we?”

“Now, I believe the apparition point shouldn’t be too far now, just about 20 minutes this way.” Hermione said as she stepped back with a smirk and pointed to her left. “Think you can keep it in your pants long enough to reach civilization?”

***

As Hermione lay on the rumpled sheets, she couldn’t believe it had taken this long to admit her feelings for Charlie Weasley. She’d like to think she would have said something sooner if she had been aware of just how well he would rock her world.

She rolled over on her side and watched the red-head as he slept. She finally let her gaze wander unashamedly, after all, they’d explored every inch of each other since stumbling into her suite. For some reason, though, this felt more intimate than anything they’d done so far.

As if he could feel her gaze, Charlie grumbled and opened an eye just a sliver, “if you’re going to be creepy you can at least spoon me while you’re doing it.”

Chuckling at his pouty tone, Hermione scooted closer until she could wrap an arm around his torso. Resting her head on his chest, she let the soothing sound of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

Pansy was definitely going to owe Hermione more than one spa day for everything she’d been through in the past twenty-four hours, but Hermione was pretty sure she also owed Pansy now. And if she knew Pansy, that girl would make sure to cash in when Hermione least expected it.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are love! And yes truly, if you'd like to get a lecture from an Aussie, make the mistake of calling their rainforest a jungle lol. I sure got an ear full talking to my alpha about my ideas(love you darlin!!!)
> 
> Love and luck to you all!!! Thank you for reading


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